The Moscow Zoo has introduced an artificial intelligence-based system that helps visitors understand where to find animals. If panda Katyusha, leopard Miser, or puma Gabriel are not immediately visible, the AI will suggest whether they are in an outdoor or indoor enclosure and what they are doing.
Currently, the project is in pilot mode. The system tracks the behavior of three animal species: leopard Miser, puma Gabriel, as well as pandas Ruyi, Dingding, and Katyusha.
Information is displayed on screens near the enclosures and on interactive navigation panels throughout the zoo. Visitors can see where the animal is – indoors or outdoors.
The developers explained that such a hint is useful, for example, when an animal is not immediately visible. If an animal is hidden behind a bush, visitors understand that it is still in that enclosure and should be looked for more carefully.
To train the artificial intelligence, developers manually processed a large amount of video material. This allowed the system to learn to recognize different animal behavior patterns.
In the future, the technology is planned to be extended to the entire territory of the Moscow Zoo. They also want to link it to the website and an interactive map, and increase the number of recognizable behavioral patterns. An information stele with descriptions of the participating animals has already been installed in the old territory to make it easier for visitors to plan a convenient route.
